Padecky: It takes great coaches to keep kids playing sports

Chico Averbuck, seen with his daughter Hannah in 2011, lives in Santa Rosa and works for the Cleveland Cavaliers. (Photo by CRISTA JEREMIASON / The Press Democrat)

By BOB PADECKY
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

In the space of just six days, just six days after the shooting in Newtown, Conn., Chico Averbuck received four voice mails and seven emails from Sonoma County parents, telling him their kid was seriously unhappy playing basketball and wanted to know what they could do about it. Averbuck, director of International Scouting for the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers, didn’t think it was a coincidence.

“The shooting, for a lot of parents across America, was a trigger, for them to look at their kids a little closer to see what was going on with them,” said the Santa Rosa resident and 1985 El Molino graduate. “I was curious to see if this was the norm.”

Averbuck went online and found a study posted on the National Alliance For Youth Sports (NAFYS) website. It was from a 1991 research project conducted at Michigan State. It stated 35 million to 40 million student-athletes sign up every year to play organized sports and that 70 percent of them quit by age 13. They quit all sports, not just the one bringing them dissatisfaction. Even though the study is 22 years old Greg Bach of NAFYS believes it is as pertinent today as it was in 1991.

“If anything, that percentage has probably gone up,” said Bach, director of communications for the Florida-based organization. “The focus is all about winning, more than it’s ever been. And many times the kids are gone before they even reach 13.”

Averbuck’s reaction to the high percentage of abandonment?

“I was floored,” he said. “I had no idea that many would never play sports again. I mean, never play any sport!”

Since those 11 voice mails and e-mails — involving nine boys and two girls — Averbuck has meet alone with each kid twice, if not three times. At various Sonoma County locations, sometimes inside a gym, sometimes on an outdoor court, Averbuck would work out each player. He also would engage in conversation.

“Don’t let one selfish individual ruin it for you,” Averbuck told each player.

Averbuck is referring to what he views as the core of the problem — coaches. Youth coaches have enormous influence in developing confidence, teaching fundamentals, controlling emotions. The best youth coaches are the rocks of stability and security for a vulnerable child. The best youth coaches understand a 9-year old’s first priority is to have fun; the NBA won’t be knocking on the door tomorrow, in other words.

“The issue with a lot of these kids wasn’t playing time,” said Averbuck, 46. “Some of them were even starters. They just weren’t having fun. And what struck me further was this was happening during the Christmas holidays, which should be the happiest time of the year.”

How to coach? Averbuck said the answer is “simple.” His advice comes from a man who is his mentor, Tates Locke. Locke is a former college coach, a former NBA scout, coach and assistant general manager. Averbuck got to know Locke when both worked for the Portland Trail Blazers.

“You believe in the greatness of every one of your players,” said Averbuck, repeating Locke. “You put each player in the best position each day to be successful, both mentally and physically. If you do that, you have done your job. You make them feel good about themselves and their game.”

Averbuck now will speak for Chico Averbuck.

“If you coach for any other reason,” Averbuck said, “you should quit.”

Yes, Averbuck is the first to admit, a preteen and a teenager, regardless of gender, are influenced by many things. Home life, parties, parental expectations, awareness of the opposite sex, the flowering of independence, academic pressures — the list could fill the rest of this column. That’s why Averbuck sees coaching as so important.

That’s why he does “Rock N’ Hoops” one Saturday a month at Chop’s Teen Club in downtown Santa Rosa.

That’s why he meets with basketball players every Sunday during basketball season at Chop’s, when he’s not on the road scouting overseas or NBA and NCAA games in the states.

“To give them hope and give them confidence,” Averbuck said.

For “Rock N’ Hoops” any kid from 13-17 pays the Chop’s membership fee of one dollar. Averbuck arranges games, winners get Cavaliers gear and everyone plays without feeling there is an anvil on their backs.

On those Sundays when he is around, Averbuck conducts three one-hour sessions at Chop’s. Each session costs $10 and is limited to 12 kids. Some kids will play in all three sessions.

There is no age limit. Last Sunday, Averbuck had players from fourth grade to 12th grade. It is not an all-comers event. Participants need to register through an e-mail. His current e-mail list is 65. Averbuck welcomes new kids but a registration process is required at chico@ncba.net.

“Rise above it. You judge someone’s character on how they overcome adversity.”

Sports is full of failure, on and field the field or court. It’s the nature of the industry. You can be a Hall of Fame baseball player and fail 70 percent of the time at bat. That 70 percent figure Averbuck can handle. It’s the 70 percent who decide to never play sports again. That number astonished Averbuck. It’s that 70 percent who will view exercise in their 40s or 50s as a labor, an unwelcomed chore, as they remember how exercise was not fun for them as a kid.

That 70 percent abandonment rate should shock every parent, every coach. For who doesn’t want an active kid, a healthy kid?

Which is why the next paragraph should even be more unsettling.

Does anyone really think there are only 11 unhappy basketball players in Sonoma County?

For more North Bay sports go to Bob Padecky’s blog at padecky.blogs.pressdemocrat.com. You can reach Staff Columnist Bob Padecky at 521-5223 or bob.padecky@pressdemocrat.com.

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